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Ann Arbor 200
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Media

There Went The Neighborhood: The Closing of Jones School

As part of Ann Arbor 200, the Ann Arbor District Library and 7 Cylinders Studio (7CS) have produced a documentary film about the closing of Ann Arbor's Jones School. In 1965, the Board of Education closed the majority-Black school. Ann Arbor joined a nationwide trend of school desegregation during the Civil Rights Era. But for these young students, the loss of a neighborhood school foreshadowed changes to their close-knit community. Gentrification came to Ann Arbor on the heels of desegregation.

In the making of this film, 7CS filmmakers and AADL archivists interviewed over thirty former Jones students and Black community leaders. They shared memories of Jones School and "The Old Neighborhood"—the areas now known as Kerrytown and Water Hill. A filmed walking tour, studio interviews, and historical photos form the core of the film. Run time is approximately 40 minutes.
 

The AADL Archives has many additional materials to explore relating to these topics, including a history of Jones School and dozens of Ann Arbor News articles that appear in the film:

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Media

AACHM Oral History: Carol Allen

Carol AllenCarol Allen was born in Alton, Illinois in 1945. Her parents Janie and Thomas Ross moved to Ann Arbor in 1951 and purchased a home on Fifth Avenue. Her father was a cook and her mother was a nurse’s aid and custodian. Carol recalls raising her son Carl Jr. with her husband while living on the second floor of her family’s home. She got her associate’s degree in practical nursing and worked in that field for most of her career. In January 2023 she and her husband Carl celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. They have two sons and several grandchildren.

View historical materials.

Diroff's, undated Photographer: Susan Wineberg

Diroff's, undated image

Diroff's, 1972 Photographer: Susan Wineberg

Diroff's, 1972 image
Year:
1972

The Market Place, Interior, 1980 Photographer: Susan Wineberg

The Market Place, Interior, 1980 image
Year:
1980

The Market Place, Interior, 1980 Photographer: Susan Wineberg

The Market Place, Interior, 1980 image
Year:
1980

The Market Place, 1980 Photographer: Susan Wineberg

The Market Place, 1980 image
Year:
1980

The Market Place, 1981 Photographer: Susan Wineberg

The Market Place, 1981 image
Year:
1981

The Market Place, April 1980 Photographer: Susan Wineberg

The Market Place, April 1980 image
Year:
1980

Diroff's Market, Spring 1973 Photographer: Jeff Parsons

Diroff's Market, Spring 1973 image
Year:
1973